Ship&#39;s bell clock



March 14, 1961 R. KRAMER 7 2,974,473

SHIPS BELL CLOCK Filed April 24, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 nlll I REV/IIZHR.

' l I I Fig, i wz-l STEPDOWN I 102 I (I CLOCK DRIVING 6 INVENTOR. in R\CHARD KRAMER March 14, 1961 R. KRAMER SHIP'S BELL CLOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 24, 1959 INVENTOR.

March 14, 1961 R. KRAMER SHIPS BELL CLOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 24, 1959 INVENTOR. RICHARD KRAMER March 14, 1961 2,974,473

R. KRAMER SHIP'S BELL CLOCK Filed April 24, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. RmHARo KRAMER Unite fitates .Eatent P SIHPS BELL CLOCK Richard Kramer, Thomaston, Conn., assignor to General Time Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 808,608

Claims. (Cl. 58-9) The present invention relates to a clock striking mechanism and more particularly to a clock which is capable of striking the hour and half hour in accordance with a ships bell striking cycle.

As is well known, ships have through the ages employed a bell for denoting the passage of time and the changing of the watch. A four-hour cycle is used with the first hour being designated by a single pair of impulses, the second hour by tWo pairs of impulses, the third hour by three pairs of impulses and the fourth hour by four pairs, or a total of eight, impulses. The intervening half-hour points add a single impulse to the hour value (the first half hour alone excepted). Thus, for example, the hour of 2:30 is indicated by two pairs of impulses followed by a single impulse for a total of five.

It is readily seen from the above that the striking of either the hour or the half-hour requires an initial pair of impulses. Where a striking mechanism is employed having a sequential actuating element such as a star wheel, producing the paired impulses creates a problem that is not present in conventional striking clocks. Thus in conventional clocks, where all of the impulses are evenly spaced, mechanism may be included for simply counting out the required number of impulses sequentially on the hour and on the half-hour. In ships bell clocks the striking of the half-hour leaves one impulse of a pair left over and various ingenious schemes have been employed for getting rid of this second impulse at the time of striking the half-hour. However, none of these prior devices has been particularly satisfactory. Most commonly they have involved use of a spring-biased toggle linkage or the like which snaps into blocking position to prevent the hammer from completing a second stroke after one impulse of the final pair has been sounded. Since the impulses are closely spaced, the linkage must move rapidly indeed if the final impulse is to be silenced. Generally these mechanisms operate as intended when the timepiece is new, but dirt and gummy lubricant soon conspire to prevent the mechanism from operating sufliciently rapidly to dispose of the final and unwanted impulse in the half-hour position. Moreover, ships bell strikers are notoriously critical of adjustment, requiring the mechanism to be manufactured according to close tolerances resulting in an inherently expensive construction.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a ships bell striking mechanism which is reliable and in which the ships bell cycle i accurately maintained over the life of the clock and in spite of the gumming of lubricant, presence of dirt or the like. It is another object of the invention to provide a ships bell striking mechanism so designed that the movements of the parts are deliberate and non-critical and which therefore is capable of operating accurately without the precise, rapid action required in conventional designs.

It is an object related to the foregoing to provide a ships bell striking mechanism which does not require the unwanted second impulse produced by the striking of the 2,974,473 Patented Mar. 14, 1961 half-hour to be disposed of immediately as the half hour is struck. On the contrary it is an object to provide novel means for disposing of the impulse as an idle step of advancement of the striking mechanism in a leisurely fashion at any time during the half-hour interval following the striking of the half-hour. As will be brought out, this idle step of advancement is caused to occur at the 45-minute position, midway in the interval mentioned.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a ships bell striking mechanism which is automatically maintained in synchronism with the clock driving train so that when the setting of the clock is manually changed the phasing of the striking mechanism is also changed without care or attention on the part of the user of the clock. In this connection it is an object to provide a striking mechanism which is capable of deciding, after the time setting of the clock is manually changed, whether an impulse should be thrown away or not thrown away when the clock mechanism reaches the point of time where an impulse is normally disposed of.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a ships bell striking mechanism which consists of a minimum number of simply formed and non-critical parts, a mechanism which may be constructed with a high degree of economy and which adds to the value of the clock an intrinsic value which exceeds many times over the cost of the mechanism. More specifically it is an object to provide a ships bell striking mechanism which may be added to conventional clocks without major modification and which employs many of the elements of a conventional striking mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the attached detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

Figure l is a partially diagrammatic perspective view of a ships clock striking mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention just prior to release of the bell mechanism.

Fig. la is a fragmentary end view showing the rack driving pins.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective showing the parts just following completion of striking cycle.

Fig. 3 is a figure similar to Fig. l and showing the condition of the mechanism just prior to operation of the impulse throw-away means.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective showing the mechanism just following the operation of the throw away means.

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary perspectives similar to the preceding figures but showing the self-synchronizing action of the present device.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that I do not intend to be limited to the specific embodiment shown but intend to cover the various alternative and equivalent constructions included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Turning now to Figure l of the drawings there is shown aships bell striking mechanism It) in perspective and partially diagrammatic-to facilitate understanding. This mechanism is coupled to a minute hand shaft 11 and an hour hand shaft 12 brought out to a minute hand 13 and hour hand 14, respectively. The minute hand is driven at the rate of one revolution per hour by a clock driving train 15, and the hour hand shaft 12 is coupled to itby means of a 12 to l step-down drive connection 16. Both the driving train and the step down drive connection are indicated simply in block form device are conventional.

For the purpose of striking the hour and half-hour a bell 20 is provided mounted on a base 21 and struck by a hammer 22 secured to a shaft 23. For lifting the since these portions of the hammer 22, a star wheel mechanism is used including a star wheel mounted on a shaft 26' to which a torque is applied by means of a spring or other power source 27. Cooperating with the-star wheel 25 is a wiper arm 30 mounted on a shaft 31 and connected to a hammer lift arm 32. Suspended from the hammer lift armis a pull rod 33 which is connected to a second hammer lift arm 34 on the hammer shaft 23.

To control the forward advancement of the star wheel 25 under the urging of the spring 27, an actuating shaft is provided having a stop mechanism at its forward end to which further mention will be made. The shaft 40 is coupled to the star wheel by means of a star. wheel gear 41 and a pinion 42. For governing the speed of rotation of the star wheel when it is released an air vane governor is used having a vane 43. To step up the speed, a first speed gear 44 is used driving a pinion 45 on a shaft 46. Further increase of speed is brought about by a gear 47 which drives the vane pinion 48.

- In operation release of the actuating shaft 40 (assuming that the gear 47 is unblocked) enables the striker train to rotate at a speed determined by the vane 43 to produce clockwise rotation of the star wheel 25. The points of the star striking the wiper arm 30 cause the lift arm to be upraised which raises the hammer 22. Sudden release of the wiper arm 30 frees the hammer to drop by gravity to strike the bell 20. The number of impulses is determined by the permitted advancement of the actuating shaft 40.

In carrying out the present invention stop members are provided on the striker actuating shaft 40 to control the advancement of the striker mechanism at the hour and half-hour points upon triggering by the minute hand shaft 11. In the present instance the actuating shaft 40 has a cam-like member 50 at its forward end including a first stop member 51 and a second stop member 52. Arranged for lowering into the path of movement of the stop members is a pawl 55 which is integral with a pawl arm 56 arranged for rocking about a shaft 57.

In order to retract the pawl at the hour and halfhour points, a release arm is provided which engages, and is operated by, a lift or release cam on the minute hand shaft 11. As shown in the drawing the release arm indicated at 60 is pivoted about the shaft 57 and has a cam follower 61 at its lower end engaging the lift cam 62.

The cam 62 includes an hour lobe 63 and a half-hour lobe 64. In the condition illustrated in Fig. l the cam follower 61 is riding up on the half-hour lobe 64 and approaching the point of drop-off.

For the purpose of coupling together the release arm 60 and the pawl arm 56 for retraction of the pawl 55, the release arm is provided with a laterally extending ear or extension 67 which, as shown, extends under the horizontal portion of the pawl arm. Thus it will be apparent that when the release arm 60 is cammed up on the cam 64 the accompanying upward movement of the ear 67 rotates the pawl arm clockwise, lifting the pawl 55 clear of the stop member 51. Since in the mechanism as illustrated the cam pawl 61 is almost at the peak of the cam lobe 64, the pawl 55 has already been lifted clear of the stop member 51. It would normally be expected that under such circumstances the actuating shaft 40 of the bell mechanism would be free to advance. However, auxiliary means are provided for blocking the striker train against rotation until such time as actual drop-off occurs, that is, drop off of the cam follower 61 from the cam lobe 64. In the present instance rotation of the striker train is held back until the proper instant by a star-ting prong 70 which is in the path of movement of pins 71, 72 on the gear 47 of the striker train. The starting prong 70 is formed integrally with the release arm 60. Thus as long as the cam follower is riding on the cam lobe, the starting prong is in the blocking position. As the cam follower approaches the tip of the cam lobe the striker train is conditioned for rotation by retraction of the pawl 55 from the first stop member 51 as shown in Fig. 1.

Drop-off of the release arm accompanied by counterclockwise rotation of the pawl arm retracts the starting prong 70 from the pin 71, thereby initiating rotation of the striker train and the impulsing of the bell by the star wheel 25.

In carrying out the invention means controlled by the hour hand shaft of the clock are provided for determining the degree of advancement of the actuating shaft 40 and hence the number of striking impulses applied to the bell 20. In short, the hour hand shaft of the clock, being at particular hour setting when the striking mechanism is triggered, tells the rest of the mechanism how many individual impulses to count off before the striker train is again brought to a stop. For this purpose I provide a snail having lobes 81, 82, 83 each of which covers a four hour cycle. Each of the lobes is divided into eight steps, one for each half-hour interval in the four hour cycle. Cooperating with the snail 80 is a rack member which is pivoted at 91 and which has a feeler arm 92 carrying a feeler pin 93 which rests upon one of the steps of the snail. In the condition shown in Fig. l, the feeler pin 93 is resting upon step No. 7 on the first lobe of the snail, corresponding to fseven bells or the hour of 3:30, which determines the angular position of the rack member. Mounted at the outer end of the rack member is a rack 95 having a plurality of rack teeth.

In practicing the present invention the rack member 90 is utilized for maintaining the pawl 55 upraised until the desired number of striking impulses has been counted out, following which the pawl is allowed to drop into blocking position in the path of movement of one or the other of the stop members 51, 52 on the shaft 40. In the present instance this is brought about by a gathering prong which is formed integrally with the pawl arm 56 and which is prevented from moving downwardly in the pawl-engaging direction until the rack 95 has been moved out of the way. For the purpose of moving the rack 95 upwardly into an out-of-the-way position following the counting of the desired number of impulses, a rack driving connection is provided at the forward end of the shaft 40 including rack driving pins 101, 102. As shown in Fig. la, upon rotation of the shaft 40 in the counter-clockwise direction the pins act alternately upon the rack to move it upwardly and to the right, each half revolution of the shaft serving to advance the rack upwardly onestep. Since the gathering prong 100 engages the teeth of the rack by gravity, it provides a light detenting action which is sufiicient to prevent retrograde movement of the rack in the downward or the counterclockwise direction during the idle time when both of the pins 101, 102 are momentarily out of contact with the rack. In order to enable the rack teeth to slip under the gathering prong 100, the gathering prong has its left hand surface tapered as indicated at 105. Thus, as the shaft 40 rotates and as the rack is moved upwardly and to the right, the gathering prong simply bumps along from one of the teeth to the next until a position of drop-off is reached at the bottom end of the rack. This point of drop-off is indicated at 106.

The significance of the various elements thus far described may be more readily appreciated by considering a typical operating sequence and with reference being made to Figs. 1 and 2. It will be assumed, first of all, that the time is approaching seven bells, that the feeler arm 92 of the rack-member is resting upon the seventh step of the snail, and that the half-hour lobe 64 is wiping the release arm upwardly with the cam follower 61 near the point of drop-off. Under such circumstances the release arm is almost fully upraised, the stop pawl 55 has been lifted clear from the stop member 51, and the gathering prong 100, which is connected to the pawl 55, is lifted clear of the rack. With the position of the rack determined by step No. 7 on the snail, the seventh tooth of the rack is positioned directly under the gathering prong 100 and in its path of movement. The actuating shaft 40 for the striker train is stationary, with the pin 71 of the train being blocked by the starting prong 70.

It will be apparent that upon drop-off of the cam follower 61, the pawl arm 56 is no longer supported by the ear 67 so that the gathering prong 100 drops down into contact with the rack. As a simultaneous result of drop-off, the starting prong 79 is dropped downwardly out of the path of movement of the pin 71 so that the striker train begins to rotate. Because the gathering prong is, at this time, supported on the rack, the pawl 55 is maintained upraised and out of the path of movement of the stop members 51, 52.

As the actuating shaft rotates, the pins of 101, 102, engage the rack teeth successively, advancing the rack upwardly step by step for a total of seven steps. This corresponds to seven half-revolutions of the actuating shaft 40, resulting in seven impulses at the bell hammer. Time is thus audibly sounded as seven bells.

After seven bell impulses, the gathering prong 1G0 drops-elf of the rack 95 at its end 106 (see Fig. 2) which lowers the pawl 55 into blocking engagement with the stop members. Stop member 52 strikes the pawl 55, thus preventing a further rotation of the actuating shaft 40. The rack is held upraised by the gathering prong 100 and the striking mechanism is thus put at rest until operation is next initiated.

In carrying out the invention it is necessary for the bell to be struck with paired impulses rather than simply a series of evenly spaced impulses of the proper total number. Since the speed of the striker train is constant, being determined by the governor vane 43, the paired striking is brought about in the present device by employing a composite star wheel having closely spaced pairs of points, for example, as indicated at 25a, 25b. One difficulty inherent in such paired striking is that after the striking of any odd number 'of bells thereis the final unused bell to be disposed of so that when the full hour is subsequently struck it will begin with apair of closely spaced bells rather than by the single or odd bell. Thus in accordance with the present invention the lift cam 62 is provided with a third or auxiliary lobe 110 which is positioned between the one-half hour lobe 64 and the hour lobe 63 to provide one step of idle advancement of the striker train actuating shaft, and silencing means are provided to silence the bell during this idle step. I prefer to phase the auxiliary lobe 110 so that the unwanted impulse is disposed of at the 45-minute position of the minute hand shaft. For the purpose of silencing the bell at the 45 minute position, I provide a silencing cam 115 at the rear end of the minute hand shaft and in the path of downward movement of the hammer lift arm 32. The cam is preferably suiiicient'ly high so that the wiper arm is lifted clear of the star wheel and hence ineffective to produce hammer operation. The throw away" operation thus occurs silently except for the barely detectable sound of the striker train undergoing one step of movement.

The manner in which the mechanism serves to throw away the unwanted second impulse will be more fully appreciated upon consideration of Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 3 shows the condition of the mechanism just prior to the 45-minute position, i.e. just prior to 3:45. At this time the auxiliary lobe 110 has cammed the release arm 60 upwardly, thus raising the pawl 55 clear of the stop member 52. The starting prong 70 is however in blocking position in front of the pin 71. Upon drop-off illustrated in Fig. 4, the cam follower 61 drops downwardly, thereby dropping the starting prong 70 into an out-ofthe-way position and permitting rotation of the striker train and permitting the pawl arm to drop. However, the pawl 55 tends to drop on top of the stop member 52 in a non-blocking position but, nevertheless, in the path of advancing movement of the cooperating stop member 51. Thus upon completion of one-half revolution of the actuating shaft 40, impact of the stop member 51 against the pawl 55 brings the shaft to a stop. This half revolution of the actuating shaft 40 is accompanied by one step of movement of the star wheel 25, with the second star point 25b of the pair being advanced past the wiper arm 30. However, this wiping movement is ineffective to produce striking of the bell since, as mentioned, the hammer lift arm 32 is disabled by the silencing cam 115.

Stated briefly, then, the auxiliary lift lobe 110 serves to actuate the pawl 55 as a single step escapement, permitting a half revolution of the actuating shaft 40 for a single, but silenced, striking impulse, thereby conditioning the striking mechanism for proper striking upon arrival of the even hour position of the clock train. As the -minute position is passed and the hour position is approached, the silencing cam lowers the hammer lift arm 32 back into the active position as shown in Fig. l. The result is to deposit the wiper arm 30 in a position, shown dotted in Fig. 4, with respect to the star wheel between adjacent pairs of star wheel points so that upon subsequent movement of the star wheel, which takes place upon striking the hour, a complete pair of impulses will be produced.

In accordance with one of the aspects of the present invention means are provided for maintaining synchronism of the striker actuator shaft 40 with the release cam 62 on the minute hand shaft 11 thereby to insure that a striking impulse is thrown away only when necessary to insure proper striking. Thus it is conceivable that in setting the clock mechanism the minute hand shaft may be rotated out of step with the existing phase condition of the actuating shaft 40 and star wheel 25. Suppose, for example, that the setting of the clock mechanism were manually changed from, say, five minutes to the hour to twenty minutes to the hour. If the clock had been operating normally, a striking impulse would have been thrown away by the mechanism as the minute hand passed the 45-minute position thereby causing the first stop member 51 to be in engagement with the pawl 55 as shown in Fig. 5. Under such circumstances the wiper arm occupies a position between adjacent pairs of points on the star wheel in readiness for the striking of the hour. However, manual setting of the mechanism to the 20 minutes to the hour position has caused the minute hand shaft 11 to bring the auxiliary lobe 110 of the lift cam into engagement with the cam follower 61. Under such circumstances it would be expected that arrival of the clock train to the 45-minute 1 position would release the engaged stop member 51 momentarily to produce a half revolution of the shaft 40 and therefore, undesirably, throwing away an impulse and phasing the star wheel to strike incorrectly when the hour position is next reached. However, in accordance with the present invention, this condition is avoided by making the auxiliary lobe 110 on the lift cam low compared to the stop member 51 so that the degree of rotation imparted to the release arm by the auxiliary lobe is not adequate to move the pawl 55 clear of the stop member 51.

Thus, referring to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the cam follower 61 is nearly at the high point of the auxiliary lobe 110, and yet this is not sufiicient to move the pawl 55 clear of the tip of the stop member 51. When drop-off of the cam follower 61 occurs shortly thereafter, the starting prong drops into its out of the way position. However, no rotation of the striker train can occur since the pawl 55 (Fig. 6) is still firmly in root of the stop member 51 on the striker actuating shaft 40. As a result, no striking impulse is thrown away and the star wheel is maintained phased to produce proper strikin 15 minutes later when the minute hand reaches the even hour position.

In short, the mechanism decides by itself when an impulse is to be thrown away and when an impulse is not to be thrown away, and the user of the clock may change the indicated time as he pleases .without having to take any further steps to re-synchronize the mechanism.

It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the mechanism described above overcomes the drawbacks normally associated with the snail and rack striking mechanism as applied to ships bell clocks. The spring loaded arms, toggle mechanisms and the like conventionally used to block the final stroke in the half-hour position are completely avoided. The unwanted impulse in the present device is, on the contrary, disposed of at the leisure of the mechanism anywhere within the half-hour interval between the half-hour and the even hour position, preferably at the 45-minute position. Disposing of the unwanted impulse is accomplished at deliberate speed by an idle step of the mechanism with the bell silenced, using parts which need not be critically formed or adjusted. Moreover, since rapid action is not required, the effect of gummed lubricant and dirt upon the mechanism is substantially nil, and pivot friction may be increased to a high degree Without affecting the interlocked operating sequence. Thus reliable striking is assured without care or maintenance of the mechanism over long periods of time.

It is a further feature of the device that the same rack, striking train and other parts may be used as are used with conventional hour and l1alf-hour striking mechanism thereby effecting manufacturing economy and a useful degree of interchangeability of parts.

In the following claims the terms minute hand shaf and hour hand shaft includes shafts which may be remote from the hands but nevertheless coupled to the hands for timed rotation. The term approximately 45- minute position and the term central portion of the interval are both intended to denote a range of time Within the interval between the half-hour and hour positions of the clock train and spaced in time from both of these positions.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a ships bell clock the combination comprising a clock driving train including a minute hand shaft and an hour hand shaft, a bell mechanism having an actuating shaft and so arranged that'upon progressive advancement thereof the bell is rung with paired impulses, control means for controlling the advancement of the actuating shaft so that the degree of advancement is dependent upon the setting of the hour hand shaft, means triggered by the minute hand shaft at the hour and halfhour positions thereof for initiating advancement of the actuating shaft, means triggered by the minute hand shaft at approximately the 45minute position for causing the actuating shaft to advance through one step of movement thereby to initiate a single striking impulse, and means for silencing the bell during such impulse so that paired impulses only are sounded at the hour position.

2. In a ships bell clock the combination comprising a clock driving train having a minute hand shaft and an hour hand shaft, a bell mechanism having an actuating shaft and so arranged that upon progressive advancement thereof the bell is rung with paired impulses, control means for controlling the advancement of the actuating shaft, releasing means controlled by the minute hand shaft for releasing the control means so as to initiate advancement of the actuating shaft on the hour and halfhour, means including a snail on the hour hand shaft for conditioning said control means for predetermined advancement of the actuating shaft so that a total number of bell impulses is produced in accordance with a ships bell cycle, means actuated by the minute hand shaft when the same is in approximately its 45-minute position for actuating said releasing means to producea single step of advancement of the actuating shaft as'r'equired to sound a single bell impulse, and means for silencing the bell during such impulse.

3. In a ships bell clock the combination comprising a clock driving train having a minute hand shaft and an hour hand shaft, a bell mechanism having an actuating shaft and so arranged that upon progressive advancement thereof the bell is rung with paired impulses, control means for controlling the advancement of the actuating shaft, releasing means controlled by the minute hand shaft for releasing the control means so as to initiate advancement of the actuating shaft on the hour and half hour, impulse counting means including a rack, means including a snail on the hour hand shaft for conditioning the counting means for predetermined advancement of the actuating shaft so that a total number of bell impulses is produced in accordance with a ships bell cycle, means for stopping further rotation of the actuating shaft when said predetermined advancement has taken place, auxiliary escapement means actuated by the minute hand shaft when the same is in approximately its 15-minute position for producing a single step of advancement of the actuating shaft as required to sound a single bell impulse, and means for silencing the bell during such impulse. I

4. In a ships bell clock the combination comprising a clock driving train including a minute hand shaft and an hour hand shaft, a bell mechanism having an actuating shaft and a star wheel lift cam, releasing means coupled to said minute hand shaft for releasing the actuating shaft for rotation at the hour and half-hour positions of the minute hand shaft, means including a three cycle snail on said hour hand shaft having eight steps in each cycle for controlling the degree of rotation of the actuating shaft and hence the number of hell impulses produced *by the bell mechanism in accordance with a ships bell cycle, said star Wheel having points arranged in closely spaced pairs to produce paired bell impulses,

and impulse throw-away means actuated by said minute hand shaft When the same is in approximately the 45- minute position for producing a one-impulse step of advancement of the actuating shaft While concurrently disabling the sounding of the bell so that the star wheel is advanced into a phase position to produce a paired bell impulse when the actuating shaft is next advanced incident to the minute hands reaching the hour position.

5. In a ships bell clock the combination comprising a clock driving train having a minute hand shaft and an hour hand shaft, a bell mechanism having an actuating shaft so arranged that upon progressive advancement the bell is rung with paired impulses, first and second stop members coupled to said actuating shaft, said first stop member being phased for sounding of a pair of impulses upon release and said second stop member being phased for the sounding of the unused second impulse of a pair, means actuated by said minute hand shaft on the hour and half-hour for releasing said first stop member, counting means controlled by the hour hand shaft for counting out the impulses in accordance with a ships bell cycle and for thereafter terminating further advancement of said actuating shaft, means actuated by said minute hand shaft during the period be tween the half-hour and the hour for releasing said second stop member for the sounding of said second impulse, and means for silencing the bell incident to release of said second stop member so that the undesired second impulse is thrown away in readiness for sounding of a pair of impulses when the minute hand reaches the hour position.

6. In a ships bell clock the combination comprising a clock driving train having a minute hand shaft and an hour hand shaft, a bell mechanism having an actuating shaft and so arranged that upon progressive advancement thereof a bell is rung withpaired impulses, first and second stop members coupled to said shaft, a pawl arranged in the path of movement of said stop members to engage them in sequence, said first stop member being phased -so that upon release by said them sequentially,

pawl a pair of impulses are initially sounded and said second stop member being phased so that upon release by said pawl the second impulse of a pair is initially sounded, means actuated by said minute hand shaft on the hour and half-hour for retracting said pawl from engagement with the actuating shaft, means controlled by the hour hand shaft for counting out the impulses following retraction of the pawl in accordance with a ships bell striking cycle and for thereafter terminating advancement of the actuating shaft, impulsethrow-away means actuated by said minute hand shaft during the period between the half-hour and the hour for retracting said pawl for release of the second stop member so that the unused impulse remaining from the striking of the half-hour is thrown away, and means for silencing the bell incident to retraction of the pawl by the throw-away means, said throw-away means being so constructed that in spite of actuation thereof the pawl remains in blocking position as regards the first stop member so that no impulses are thrown away in the event that the actuating shaft is already properly phased with respect to said minute hand shaft.

7. In a ships bell clock combination comprising a clock driving train having a minute hand shaft and an hour hand shaft, a bell mechanism having an actuating shaft and so arranged that upon progressive advancement thereof the bell is rung with paired impulses, first and second stop members coupled to said shaft, a pawl arranged in the path of movement of said stop members and capable of engaging them sequentially, said first stop member being phased so that upon release a pair of impulses are initially sounded and said second stop member being phased so that upon release the second one of a pair of impulses is initially sounded, a lift cam on said minute hand shaft and coupled to said pawl for retracting the latter at the hour position the half-hour position, and means controlled by the hour hand shaft for counting out impulses following retraction of the pawl in accordance with a ships bell striking cycle and for thereafter releasing said pawl, said lift cam being provided with an auxiliary lobe spaced between the halfhour and hour positions of the minute hand shaft so that the pawl is released from said second stop member and reengaged with the first stop member in readiness for striking a double impulse when the minute hand reaches the hour position.

8. In a ships bell clock combination comprising a clock driving train and having a minute hand shaft and an hour hand shaft, a bell mechanism having an actuating shaft and so arranged that upon progressive advance ment thereof the bell is rung with paired impulses, first and second stop members on said shaft with the second stop member being a height which is substantially greater than that of the first, a pawl arranged in the path of movement of said stop members and capable of engaging said first stop member being phased so that upon release a pair of impulses are initially sounded andsaid second stop member being phased so that upon release the second one of a pair of impulses is initially sounded, a lift cam on said minute hand shaft having two main lobes and having a cam follower coupled to said pawl for retracting the latter at the hour position the half-hour position, and means controlled by the hour hand shaft for counting out impulses following retraction of the pawl in accordance with a ship's bell striking cycle and for thereafter releasing said pawl, said lift cam being provided with an auxiliary lobe spaced between the half-hour and hour positions of the minute hand shaft, the auxiliary lobe having a height which is sufiicient to cause the pawl to move clear of the second stop member but not the first stop member thereby to insure that the pawl is engaged with said first stop memher for the subsequent ringing of an initial pair of impulses as the minute hand approaches the hour position.

9. In a ships bell clock the combination comprising a clock driving train, a bell mechanism including a star wheel having paired bell-actuating points so arranged that upon continuous slow speed advancement thereof the bell is rung in pairs of closely spaced impulses, counting means actuated by said clock train on the hour and on the half hour for advancing the star wheel through such an angle as will count otf individual impulses in accordance with a ships bell striking cycle with the first point of the terminal pair of points on the star wheel sounding the terminal stroke at the half hour position of the clock train, means actuated by the clock train during the central portion of the interval between the half hour position and the hour position for advancing the star wheel through a step of idle movement beyond the unused point of the terminal pair thereby to bring the succeeding pair of points into a position of readiness to produce paired striking when the clock train subsequently reaches the hour position, and means for silencing the bell during the central portion of the said interval and during the time that the star wheel is advanced through said step of idle movement.

10. In a ships bell clock the combination comprising a clock driving train, a bell mechanism including an actuating member having bell-actuating points arranged in pairs so that upon continuous slow speed advancement thereof the bell is rung in pairs of closely spaced impulses, counting means actuated by said clock train on the hour and on the half hour for advancing the actuating member through such a displacement as will count off individual impulses in accordance with a ships bell striking cycle and with the first point of the terminal pair of points on the actuating member sounding the terminal stroke at the half hour position of the clock train, means actuated by the clock train during the central portion of the interval between the half hour position and the hour position for advancing the actuating member through a step of idle movement beyond the unused point of the terminal pair thereby to bring the succeeding pair of points into a position of readiness to produce paired striking when the clock train subsequently reaches the hour position, and means for'silencing the bell during the central portion of the said interval and during the time that the actuating member is advanced through said step of idle movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

